


The Dragon's Daughter

by Matman0187



Series: Dragonborn Duronius [3]
Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Family, Fluff, Love, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-22
Updated: 2016-10-18
Packaged: 2018-06-03 17:23:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6619609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Matman0187/pseuds/Matman0187
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Dragonborn has taken everything the world could throw at him. He destroyed Alduin and saved all of Mundus at the foot of Shor's Hall of Valor. He slew Ulfric Stormcloak in the Palace of Kings, destroyed his armies and ended the war that plagued Skyrim, and cost the lives of thousands of her sons and daughters. He ended the Vampire crisis before the prophecy of the Tyranny of the Sun could be realized. He alone stood against the first Dragonborn and cast him down in the wake of a titanic duel on the Summit of Apocrypha under the all seeing gaze of the Daedric Prince of Knowledge. </p><p>He has mastered every shout created by mortal and by Dov. When he learned all there was to be taught, he delved into the ancient art, crafting shouts of his own and furthering his mastery over the Thu'um. </p><p>He married the woman he loved, built a home and life for them to live together in peace. Through trials and tribulations, and perhaps by the grace of the gods, he has managed to hold everything together. </p><p>But when the last thing he expects occurs, his entire world will be turned on its head.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. You're What?!

He was awakened from the depths of his dreams by Serana retching into the wash bin they kept on the bureau at the foot their bed. His eyes shot open and he pushed himself up off the pillows. The room was dark but for the glowing bands of sunlight finding their way through gaps in the curtains over the window. She was on her knees with her back to him, holding herself up with her hands on the metal rim. Her long black hair, freed from the braids she kept it in ran halfway down the back of the wool nightgown she wore. She pushed herself back from the basin, her shoulders heaved as she struggled to breath. Marcus slid out of bed and placed a hand on her shoulder as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Are you alright, love?" 

Serana started to turn toward him "I'm-" she was immediately cut off by another bout of vomiting. Marcus dropped to his knees and moved his hand to her back, gently rubbing in circles as she retched into the basin. Before long she began dry heaving as there was nothing left in her stomach to come up, but that too subsided. She sat there for a moment, covered in a fine sheen of sweat and hovering above the metal bile filled tub, letting her breathing return to normal. 

"Gods..." she muttered, wiping her mouth again as Marcus continued to rub her back. 

"You feeling better?" Marcus asked with genuine concern. This had come out of nowhere and he couldn't help but wonder if she'd caught some sort of illness. 

"Yes. I..." she paused, staring down, blinking into the muddied water in the brass tub. "I think it's over." 

"Are you getting sick? Was it something you ate?" he asked, as he moved his hand from her back to her forehead, checking for a fever, but finding it no warmer than was normal. "Should we go into town to find a healer? I'll go get the horses ready." 

"Slow down!" she tried to laugh, but it just came out as a cough. Slowly, testing her balance she pushed herself to her feet and Marcus followed, concern still creasing his brow. "I'm feeling a little better."

"Are you sure? Falkreath isn't that far." 

"I'm sure. I've just been feeling a little nauseous the past couple days. Nothing the right potion won't cure." when she tried to leave the room they shared together, a firm hand on her shoulder stopped her in her tracks. 

"That wasn't just _a little nausea_. You're going to stay in bed. I'll get you the tonic." 

She crossed her arms over her chest and pursed he lips "That's really unnecessary. I think I can-" 

Her husband's stern look cut her off, and she knew then and there that he wasn't going to budge. The man could be as stubborn as a hoarker sometimes and when he was any attempt to argue with him would simply be a fruitless waste of breath. With a sigh of relent, she eased herself down onto the straw filled mattress and leaned back against the pillows. Marcus pulled the covers up to her chin and pressed a kiss to her forehead. 

"I wan't you to stay in bed for a little while. At least until we know you aren't sick." Marcus told her "I'll be back with the potion and maybe later I'll make some carrot and chicken soup. How does that sound?" 

" _You_ are going to cook something?" Serana couldn't help but laugh "I thought you were trying to make me feel better, not worse." 

"Okay, so maybe soup wasn't the best idea. I'll be right back in just a minute" he kissed her again on the cheek, then turned, left the room, and disappeared from view as he closed the door behind him. Serana heard his footfalls down the stairs into the main lobby of their reasonably sized two story lakeside cabin.

Marcus had built the place for them shortly after they had married, though until recently they hadn't spent much time in it. It was supposed to be a place where they could retire from a life of travel, adventure and danger, and simply live for themselves, but Marcus had found the life a little more difficult to give up than she had. He had trouble finding ways to occupy his time. Eventually he'd simply given up trying. Serana had gone with him of course. They were a team. They had been together for years and she loved him with all her heart, no matter how little she enjoyed leaving her gardens and her alchemy lab to go slogging through the mud and snow or crawling through ancient tombs in search of lost treasures they had no use for.

All that had ended when they had traveled to an ancient Nordic ruin near the border with High Rock called Ragnvald. Marcus had heard rumors of a Dragon Priest buried there and he just had to see if they were true. He had started a collection of their powerful enchanted masks, and had obtained nearly half a dozen of the things before they had even met. Serana had never faced a Dragon Priest before. Until she had met Marcus, she'd avoided Nordic ruins, heeding the warnings of her mother of their danger. Her first Priest Hunt turned out to be her last  when the Lich named Otar had nearly killed her. The enchantments on the undead sorcerer's mask had all but nullified the effect her elemental spells had on him. Her growing frustration had caused her defense to slip for just a moment, and that had been all it took for the lich to hit her with a barrage of magicka that had brought her to death's door. She had never seen Marcus rage the way he had. Otar had been carved to pieces with a flurry of strikes from his blade so fast that her eyes were incapable of perceiving anything more than a blur. Later Marcus had explained to her that he hadn't been moving with lightning speed, but rather that he had slowed time to a near standstill with his Thu'um. Marcus had used a powerful healing potion to stabilize her and keep her alive long enough to get her to a proper healer in Markarth where she was able to make a full recovery.

After that incident her adventuring days were over, and for a time it seemed like his were as well until one day he had slipped away in the middle of the night while she was asleep. She had awoken to an empty bed with nothing but a letter in her husband's place, telling her that there was something he needed to do, and that he couldn't put her in danger again. It was four months before she saw him again, four months where she had nothing to do but wallow in her feelings of anger and betrayal. He hadn't told her where he had gone, or why. She didn't know what she would do if she lost him. Then one day he came back. That had been confusing for her. She had been overjoyed that he was alive, and unharmed, he was her husband, and the love of her life. But she was enraged that he had left her there alone with nothing but a vaguely worded letter. Furious that he could do that to her and justify it. Not that he tried particularly hard to justify it. He had refused to tell her what had happened, other than that he had gone to Solstheim, and that the danger was over. It hurt her deeply that he wouldn't trust her with what had transpired on that island, especially when he had seen every single one of the many, many skeletons hidden in her closet.

She hadn't known what to do, or how to feel, so for the longest time she simply ignored him, gave him the silent treatment, pretended he wasn't there. They spent their time apart, ate their meals separately and slept in separate beds. He had taken it without complaint though she knew it hurt him. He had given her the space that she pretended she wanted, when all she truly wanted was for him to open up to her. To hold her in his arms again. He was the only person who saw her for who she was, who knew every secret she held, yet still loved her with all his heart could give. She would never have agreed to marry him were it otherwise. 

It had gone on like this for a month before she couldn't bear it anymore, couldn't stand the empty bed, and the awkward and uncomfortable silences between them. She had gone into the guest room where he slept they had... _reconciled_ their differences through the night. Perhaps she had let him off too easy, but she didn't care. She was more than happy to welcome him back into her life with open arms. But she had hoped that he would talk to her about Solstheim, but he wouldn't... or couldn't. He was as stubborn as a hoarker. She was just happy to have her husband back. Happy to have someone to love, and be loved by. 

A growing realization began to worm its way into her mind. The nausea, the sickness and vomiting, it was all beginning to make sense. The night he had become a part of her life again had been over a month ago. She still hadn't had her blood. All the signs in her rational mind pointed to this one obvious conclusion. But... how was it possible? She didn't think that she could. Not after what had been done to her. How could a blessing, or perhaps a curse, like this happen to her of all people? 

She heard the steady thud and the groaning of the wooden steps under his weight as Marcus climbed the stairs up to the second floor. He pulled the latch and pushed open the door with his free hand. The other carried a pink colored bottle with the tonic that was supposed to make her feel better.

"Sorry it took me so long, but your lab is a mess. You should really consider cleaning up and reorgani-"

"Marcus." Serana said, and he stopped speaking, a frown creasing his brow as she beckoned him over. He climbed into bed beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, his face asking the question for him. She took a slow, deep breath and let it out slowly through pursed lips, making a great effort to keep her voice from shaking. "I think I'm pregnant." 


	2. Denial

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I rewrote the ending to the chapter because reasons.

Marcus' eyes shot wide open and the potion he carried slipped from his grasp, rolled off the bed and shattered against the wooden boards of the floor, but he hardly even seemed to notice. He was stunned into speechlessness as he mind became a quagmire of confused thoughts and unbridled emotions. Serana pregnant. With his child? They had been married for years, yet he wasn't prepared for news like this. 

"Are... are you certain?" He managed to choke out, shifting uncomfortably in the bed. "Do you know for sure?"

"No, I don't know for sure, but I..." she paused, swallowing nervously, turning over on to her side to face him. "I just have a feeling." It was then that he noticed she was trembling as tears began to well in her eyes. "Gods, I don't know what we're going to do." 

Marcus sighed solemnly, collecting himself. With the utmost care and gentility, he slid his arm under her side and wrapped around her back. He ran his fingers through her long silken hair as he pulled her against him in a warm, comforting embrace. She leaned into him, resting her head against his chest, listening to the beat of his heart, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest as he stroked her hair. He held her in a way that nobody else could, in a way that made it seem as though everything was going to be just fine. 

"Alright. Let's not panic just yet. Tomorrow we'll head down into Falkreath to see the healer and find out for certain." he kissed the top of her head lightly as she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding on to him as if to never let him go. "If you aren't with child, then we have nothing to worry about. If you are... well, we'll have plenty of time to figure things out." 

Serana nodded and Marcus used his free hand to gently wipe away her tears with his thumb. "I'll go get us something to eat for breakfast. There has to be something in the pantry that even I can't screw up." Slowly he tried to ease his arm out from beneath her, but she tightened her grip around his shoulders, holding him in place.

"I'm not hungry." she replied, closing her eye and nuzzling into the crook of his neck "We don't need to go anywhere just yet. I just want you to stay and hold me like this for a little while."

"Are you sure?" he frowned, resting his cheek against the top of her head. 

"Yes. Believe or not, waking up at dawn to loose the contents of my stomach into our wash bin killed my appetite."  she gave a small chuckle and kissed the side of his neck with her soft pink lips.

His gaze softened and he laughed, holding her tight. "As tempted as I am to do nothing more than stay here in your arms, we really should get you cleaned up. You're starting to smell of bile a little."

Serana sniffed, then wrinkled her nose at the smell. "Gods, you're right." 

"Stay here and rest. I'll dump out the basin draw you a bath." Marcus said "You can toss your shift with the rest of the wash." 

She let go of him and he eased himself up off the bed. She took a moment to open her eyes and just look at him. He was still naked from the waist up. Tall, broad shouldered and strong, with an easy smile, a hearty laugh, and bright pale blue eyes that made her heart melt. Never in all her centuries had she thought to meet somebody with whom she could allow herself such complete openness and vulnerability. It was funny. Their relationship from the day they had met had been cold and tense. He had dragged her from the Dimhollow at sword point and interrogated her for all she knew about her father's plot. When they realized that neither could stop him on their own they had formed an uneasy alliance. It had been born out of necessity, distrust was mutual and fights between them were constant and intense. They had nearly come to blows more times than she could count.

But things began to change. Not immediately of course, but gradual. The more time they spent together, the more they saw in each other. Marcus no longer saw her as another bloodthirsty creature of darkness that he had been forced to fight beside because of the reality of their situation. He saw her as a person. Somebody with a past, with emotions, thoughts, hopes, and dreams. Serana had managed to break through the shell he had built around himself. Beneath all that armor, she learned of the human with a beating heart instead of the cold metal shell. She learned of the guilt he bore over the choice he made, learned of the weight of the world he carried on his shoulders. They grew to trust each other to have each other's backs in battle, then they came to know each other to accept each other, and trust grew into friendship. She didn't know when she had fallen in love with him, but it hadn't been until after she had cured herself of her vampirism that she had acknowledged her feelings for him and to her surprise, he shared them. Thinking back on it almost made her laugh. It sounded more like one of the sappy romance novels she had read than the most significant part of her life.   

Marriage had scared her. After centuries of servitude to the Prince of Domination, kneeling before an alter to ask the blessing of the gods was something she didn't feel capable of. But she had managed. The wedding had been beautiful. Far more than she ever could have hoped for. During the warmth of summer, they had spoken their vows beneath the night sky with the light of the aurora shining down upon them. She had said the words and meant every one of them from the bottom of her heart because that's what Marcus had wanted and she wanted nothing more than to make him happy because he had brought joy and comfort back into her life.

A child was something else entirely. How could she hope to raise one right? She had been little more than a tool to her own parents. A sacrifice for her father's insane prophecy, and a weapon for her mother to use to strike back at her estranged husband. For so many years she had been just a  _thing_ to them, not a person, and certainly not their daughter. She didn't know how to nurture a child, how to raise a child, to provide and care for a child, to give one a good life when her own had been so fraught with hardship and terrible choices. Marcus had said that they would travel to Falkreath to visit the town healer and find out for sure. But she didn't need a healer to tell her what she already knew in her heart. 

 

* * * 

They sat beside each other in the healer's hut on the outer edge of Falkreath, Marcus' hand clasped in a death grip in Serana's as they sat in silent anticipation. The healer, , a wrinkled snow haired old Nord woman named Helod had run a series of tests on Serana in another room while Marcus sat outside and waited. When she had finished, Serana had told her that they wanted to hear the results together. 

Helod smiled a wide grin, showing off a number of teeth missing from her ancient gums. "I have wonderful news, my dear." she started, and Marcus' heart dropped into his gut. "You are with child and have been for a little over a month." 

The old woman asked if this was their first child then went on to list a number of different ways for Serana to best take care of herself during the duration of her pregnancy. But she wasn't listening. All she could do was smile and nod as the healer spoke until the ringing in her ears ceased.

Marcus' jaw clenched and he struggled not to wince as Serana's already iron grip on his hand tightened. Just smile and nod... It was a shock, without a doubt. He didn't have the slightest idea how to raise a child, but he couldn't panic. He needed to stay level headed and clear of mind for his wife, and for his unborn child. He needed to do something right for once. He listened to every word Helod said with the utmost care and attention, taking mental notes of every suggestion she made. 

When the old woman finished, she stood up with Marcus and Serana following suit. Serana smoothed out the folds in her grey-brown skirt with her hands, still unused to wearing dresses. She much preferred a good pair of trousers, far more practical. A cold pair of hands wrapped themselves around hers. She looked up at Helod who gave her a bright eyed smile.

"There is nothing more beautiful than bringing new life into the world. If you ever need anything, don't be afraid to come down for a visit. My door is always open." 

"Thank you for your time." Marcus replied returning the smile "I know we didn't give you much warning to prepare. I hope we weren't too much a bother."

Helod waved his concerns off with a gesture, patting Serana's hands before releasing them. "Nonsense. We both live for helping people, Dragonborn. It was my pleasure to be of service to you and your beautiful wife." 

"Thank you." and a weak smile were all Serana managed to give her, as they made their way outside. Her knees felt weak as though she were about to collapse. Marcus seemed to sense this because he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close as they walked, lending his strength to her. 

Falkreath was small as Skyrim cities went, nowhere remotely near the size of Solitude or Windhelm, though it was certainly larger than villages like Riverwood or Shor's Stone. It was a close, tightly knit community centered around the great cemetery that was the town's only distinguishing feature. The entire town seemed to have a bizarre fascination, or perhaps even obsession with death. The Inn was called  _Dead Man's Drink_ , the town alchemist  _Grave Concoctions,_ even the farms, such as  _Corpselight_ had oddly morbid names. The town, situated on the border with Cyrodiil had been the location of countless battles throughout the ages, changing hands from the Kingdom of Skyrim and the Empires of Cyrodiil several times throughout history. Some insisted that the cemetery itself was older than Falkreath and that the town had grown around it. Despite the death fixation, the people were often friendly and inviting, with a few exceptions. It was a peaceful, quiet, and out of the way sort of town, which Marcus and Serana had found so attractive.

Mathies and his wife Indara, the owners of Corpselight Farm walked past them as they made their way through the center of town with their young son. Their second child after their first daughter had been butchered by a werewolf that had lost control of his senses. The couple waved and smiled to Marcus and Serana which Marcus returned. Even though they technically didn't live in the town itself, many people considered them to be locals after living in Lakeview Manor for a few years. Of course everybody knew who Marcus was already well before they had moved to the Hold. It had helped that Marcus had been named Thane of the hold for his deeds, and that he had saved the local hunter Valdr from spriggans years before. Even Bolund, the suspicious and mistrustful operator of the local lumber mill had begrudgingly accepted them into the community. It also hadn't hurt that they had bought lumber from him to build their home in the first place. 

Eventually they made it to the town stables where their horses had been kept for them. Marcus gave the stableboy a couple Septims to get their steeds saddled and ready while they waited. Serana stared in silence at her hands that lay balled into fists in her lap. It took her a moment to realize she was trembling. A large, familiar hand slid over her lap to rest over her own.

"Serana?" Marcus asked, his voice low and gentle. 

"It's a beautiful out today." 

"Pardon?" 

"It's warm for this early in the spring." she replied still staring blankly down at her hands "If the good weather keeps up I might be able to plant the tomatoes early."

Concern wormed its way into Marcus' mind. It wasn't her to be like this, but this was a big deal. He simply figured that she needed a moment of peace to process all of this. They were having a child together. Their first child. This wasn't exactly an everyday event. 

"Yes my love." he squeezed her hand "It's a beautiful day." 

* * * 

The ride back home to Lakeview Manor had been for the most part silent, but interspersed with random comments by Serana on an assortment of different things, from the weather, to alchemy experiments, to the latest thing that transpired in the novel she was reading. About the only thing that was left unmentioned was the dragon in the room, but Marcus let her be. People simply had different ways of coping with such monumental news. Until she was ready to talk about it, he'd give her all the time she needed.

As Marcus brought the horses into the small stable they had on their property to remove their saddles, shovel out the stalls, feed, and water them, Serana went back into the house. As she pushed the door open and passed the foyer, the first thing she noticed was how filthy the place was. She grabbed the straw broom they kept next to the door and began to sweep the dirt in the entry hall into a pile to be tossed out. That was when she noticed the pile of pots and dishes they had left out on the table from dinner the night before. That simply wouldn't do. Her home wasn't about to be turned into some pig sty. 

She grabbed an empty washbin and carried it outside to the small pond and stream near their cabin where they got their water for cooking, cleaning, and bathing from. Marcus noticed her from the stables, quickly dropped the saddled he held into the tack room and hurried out to her. 

"Serana, what are you doing?" 

"The dishes from last night need to be cleaned." she replied simply, dipping the tub into the flowing stream water and letting it fill about halfway. Marcus' gaze hardened and he placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her before she could leave.

"At least let me bring it in for you for you."

She shrugged off his hand and smiled warmly at him "I'm perfectly capable of carrying this myself sweetheart. You go ahead and finish up with the horses." 

He looked back into her emerald eyes with uncertainty, but relented. "Alright. I'll be back inside in just a minute."

As he turned around she spoke again and caught his attention "Oh before you go, I was thinking about roasted lamb with a baked potato for dinner. How does that sound?" 

He gave her a weak half smile that wouldn't convince a blind man. "It sounds perfect love." 

It wasn't long before he finished taking care of the horses. Their hooves had been cleaned. Their hooves picked, and stalls mucked. He had fed and watered them. Serana was right, the day was unusually warm for springtime and he'd already worked up a sweat in the mid afternoon sun. He'd go talk to Serana, see if she would like to go for a dip in the little pond to cool off and clear their minds. They were far enough off the road that unexpected visitors would be unlikely. He figured it would be good for the both of them. 

He opened the door to the sound of sloshing water and frantic scrubbing. Serana stood at the dinner table working the scrubbing brush over a plate like a madwoman. She pressed into the ceramic with such force that he began to worry that it might shatter in her hand. He then noticed the silent tears that ran down her beautiful face. He knew he had to stop her before she hurt herself. 

"Serana!" he called out, but she didn't even seem to hear him, her focus solely on the dish in her hand. "Serana, stop, slow down!" 

"We can't leave dishes out all night like that anymore." she said, her voice steady and flat as she vigorously scrubbed the plate that was already wiped clean. "Food dries up and sticks to it, and now it'll never come off." 

He crossed the room in two strides and grabbed the brush from one hand and tossed it aside then held onto the wrist of the hand that held the plate and took that from her as well, placing it down gently with the other dishes. Her eyes went wild and she glared up at him seething with anger, struggling against his grasp. He held firm, strong enough so that she couldn't break free, but with enough gentleness that he wouldn't hurt her.

"What are you doing?!" she demanded, magicka beginning to spark in her hands like it sometimes did in the rare event that she lost control over her emotions. "Let me go! I'm trying to clean the fucking dishes." 

"Serana, you're going to hurt yourself." he said his voice stern and unwavering "I'm here. Please, just talk to me." 

"OH!" she laughed, full of anger, and mirth, still struggling against the grip he held her arms in "Now you're here? Now you want to talk? That's real funny coming from you."

"Serana, please." he begged, no... pleaded looking into her eyes with the most sincerity he could muster. He wanted nothing more in the world than to comfort her, to help her in whatever way he could. But he needed her to let him. She finally seemed to heed him. She stopped fighting him, and relaxed, letting her breath out in a long mournful sigh. Marcus released her wrists and she dropped them to her sides before planting herself onto one of the dining room chairs. She leaned back and ran her hands over her face, worn with fatigue. 

"I don't know if I can do this." 


	3. Truth and Reconciliation

Slowly, and deliberately, as though he was fearful of spooking her, Marcus took the tray of dirty dishes and placed them on the wooden floor of their home then pulled another chair out from under the table and put it next to his wife. Without a word he took a seat beside her and placed his hand over hers, running the pad of his thumb over her knuckles and giving it a gentle squeeze. 

"I'm listening." 

Serana swallowed, trying to take control of her nerves and steady her voice. "I'm scared, Marcus. I don't know how to be a mother and I'm terrified that I will ruin this child." she sighed "All I can think about is my own parents, the things they did, the way they tore our family apart and the hand I had in all of it."

"Serana." Marcus said "You aren't your parents."

"Maybe not, but I followed them willingly down the path they chose. They didn't force me to surrender myself to Molag Bal. All they had to do was dangle a little power in front of me and I took the bait like the willing fool that I was." she shook her head "And you know what the worst part was? I liked it. Being strong enough to survive was a point of pride for me. I felt like I had earned the power I was gifted. And if I'm going to be honest, I still feel that way. I should be ashamed of what I was, but... but I'm not."

"But you gave it all up, made yourself human again." Marcus countered "You didn't let it consume you like it did your mother and father did." 

Serana paused, looking down at his hand still covering hers, then up at him, looking him in the eye. "I gave up the power, the immortality, not because it was repulsive, not even because of what it did to my family. I gave it up so that I could fit in with this new world the way a vampire never could. I gave it up so that I wouldn't have to spend every waking day in fear of the sun, and repressing the need to feed. And I gave it up for you. I was afraid that I would lose you if things remained the way they were." she clenched her jaw "How can somebody so selfish possibly hope to raise a child?" 

"That's enough of that." Marcus replied, his voice stern and unyielding. "Whoever you were then, you aren't the same person now. You are kind, you are loving and fierce and brave, and there is nobody I would rather share in this adventure with."  

"Is that what this is to you? Just another adventure?"

"Life is an adventure, my love. It's full of unexpected twists and turns, leading you to new places that you have never been before. And it has been my absolute pleasure and privilege to walk its steps at your side." 

"Then why did you leave?" she demanded, or pleaded, perhaps it was a bit of both. "If we are going to make this work, I need to be able to trust you again."

"I had no other choice." Marcus sighed.

"Why? Why was there no other choice but to abandon me?" 

"I didn't abandon you Serana."

"That's what it felt like. For all those months trapped here alone, with not a single word from you. For all I knew you were dead." 

"I know." he cast his eyes downward out of shame. "I know I hurt you, and I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive myself for what I did, but if I had seen any better option, I would have taken it." 

"Stop evading the question and answer me." Serana snapped, her unwavering eyes boring holes through his. "Why did you go to Solstheim?" 

He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples as if trying to alleviate a throbbing headache. It was long past time that he stopped omitting the truth. "It wasn't long after I got you back to Markarth from Ragnvald. You were still unconscious, recovering in the healer's house. I went down to the marketplace to buy some food when two strangers in masks and robes approached me. They accused me of being a false Dragonborn and the next thing I knew they were trying to kill me. When it was over I found orders on one of the corpses from somebody named Miraak, commanding them to hunt me down. After I arrived in Solstheim I discovered that he was Dragonborn, just like me. The first Dragonborn." 

"And you didn't tell me this? Why didn't I know about the attack?"

"Like I said, you were still unconscious and the town guard did the rest to keep the incident quiet. The Forsworn attacks had just been brought to a halt and the Jarl didn't want it getting around that people were being assaulted in the streets again. I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry. I knew right away that this assassination attempt wouldn't be the last, so I waited until you were well enough to take care of yourself before I set out to find this Miraak." 

Marcus' story only seemed to anger her further. "Why in Oblivion didn't you tell me!? I could have helped you. I would have helped you. Instead you left me in the dark. Why? Did you not trust me to be able to handle myself?"

"No, of course not." 

"Then why not?" she demanded "Are you just so self-centered, so egotistical that you don't think you could ever need help solving your problems?" 

"I didn't trust myself to keep you safe. It was my own arrogance, my own carelessness that nearly cost you your life in that ruin. I knew that the only way I could keep you safe was by getting as far away from you as possible until I stopped him." he clenched his jaw and averted his eyes from hers. "I am a selfish man. I was thinking about myself when I left. I was thinking about how I couldn't lose you, how being forced to watch you die would destroy me." 

She shoved the chair back from the table, it's legs screeching against the wooden planks of the floor before it toppled over with a crash as she pushed herself to her feet. Her voice continued to rise with her growing anger. "And what about me? Do you have any idea how I would have felt if you hadn't come back? Any idea what that would have done to me? Or did you just not care?" 

Marcus stood as well,  "That isn't fair Serana, I faced him on my own BECAUSE I care, BECAUSE I love you. And I did come back to you. I survived. I always survive." 

"What if this time had been different? You aren't invincible Marcus." she seethed. The anger she had suppressed, the feelings of loss and betrayal she withheld from him for months came roaring to the surface. "You are my husband and I am your wife. We are a team. We don't-." Whatever she was going to say was lost when he brought his lips crashing against hers in desperate passion. She was stunned by the sudden act of loving affection from him. Mixed emotions boiled and churned within her. Fury over his disappearance, fear over the pregnancy and the uncertainty of their future together. But also an overbearing love for the man who had become the center of her universe. A voice inside of her told her to push him away, to hit him, to berate and accuse, but another wanted to hold him and to never let go, lest he slip between her fingers and was lost to her forever. Dimly, Serana felt the sensation of his hands coming up to rest against her cheeks, his calloused thumbs gently brushing away the tears that had begun to form in her eyes. Steadily, her senses began to return to her, and her clouded mind began to clear as her emotions sorted themselves out. It was then that she made her decision. Her eyelids fluttered and closed as she leaned into him, and slipped her arms around the small of his back to pull him flush against her body. His hands found their way to the back of her head. His fingers ran through her long and disheveled hair, his nails grazing lightly and soothingly against her scalp. Every worry that had plagued her over these past months faded away as she surrendered herself to his love. 

It came as a shock when he abruptly pulled away and averted his eyes in shame. "I'm so sorry. You have every right to be angry with me and I shouldn't have just-" 

Serana grabbed the collar of his tunic and yanked his gaze back to meet hers "Just shut up and kiss me again." 

He shook his head and placed his hands on her shoulders, gently pushing her away. She released her grasp on his tunic and dropped her hands to her sides. "There's more." he said "There's a reason I haven't told you about what happened on Solstheim until now. I'm not proud of what I did on that island and I was terrified that you would think less of me." 

The butterflies in her stomach came together to form a rock that sunk right to the bottom. Her mind immediately jumped to the worst conclusion she could imagine and though it hurt immeasurably to say them, the words came pouring from her lips. "Was there another woman?" 

The look he gave her made it seem as though she had struck him. "No. Gods above no. I could never do that to you." He sunk back down into the chair, the wood creaking under his weight. "When I arrived on the island, I discovered that the threat was far larger than just to myself. All of Skyrim was under threat from Miraak, and as the only other Dragonborn, only I could stop him. But I wasn't strong enough to defeat him. I needed more power and there was only one source I could receive that power from." 

"What did you do?" Serana eased herself back down into her seat, smoothing the skirts of her dress over her thighs. 

"I made a pact with Hermaeus Mora. He was Miraak's patron, but grew tired of his attempts to free himself from Mora's influence. He desired a replacement and believed that I would suffice." Marcus sighed "I don't know what that means yet. These agreements always come with a price, and I don't yet know what that price will be. I... I suppose that I am just waiting for the day that Mora comes to collect what he is owed."

"How could you keep this from me?"

"Because I didn't want you to spend the rest of our time together constantly looking over your shoulder, wondering which day would be our last together. I didn't want to put that burden on you. Not after everything that happened with your family. Not after everything Molag Bal had done to you.  But I'm tired of the lies. Tired of hiding the truth from you. You deserve so much better than that and I will always regret not being able to give it to you."  

She laid her hand on top of his. "Marcus, you have give me far more than I could have hoped for. You have given me a life that I am proud to live and a home for us to call all our own. I have never been happier and if Hermaeus Mora wants to take you away he will have to go through me first." she placed a hand on her stomach "Because I am not going to raise this child alone. You put it there, and you are going to be here for it. I'll follow you to the depths of Apocrypha to drag you kicking and screaming back to this world if I have to." 

He couldn't help but chuckle. "And I wouldn't expect anything less from an incredible woman like you." 

"Good, I'm glad we're in agreement." She shifted from her chair to his lap and wrapped her arms around the back of his neck to pull him close "Now shut up and come here. You still owe me another kiss." 


End file.
